Directing on the Ark, Success if Not Banned

An old man with sparse, graying hair and a wrinkled, chubby face, holding a cigar and wearing pajamas, paid no attention to his appearance.

Who would have thought that this man, who was said to be Siracusa's number one handsome man, President Silver Ash, would look like a slovenly, annoying old man lying in bed?

"—Pfft."

However, this stark contrast caused Enia, who had been prepared to see her brother's face, to laugh almost involuntarily. Afterward, she felt inexplicably embarrassed.

Brother... you look nothing like a president or a handsome man. Are you really here to play the Emperor?

If this scene were broadcast and seen by everyone in Siracusa, the patriarch of the esteemed Shiwaish Family, the president of Karlan Trade, appearing like this…

"Ah... it's truly... so embarrassing. I really don't want anyone to know that this person is my brother."

Enia muttered this, suppressing her laughter. Yet, seeing her brother's embarrassing state, the resentment in Enia's heart, who had originally intended to wear a scowl, seemed to dissipate a little.

Chapter 83: FrostNova, Cliffheart: Does my brother need to find us a sister-in-law?

"To General Ismay, based on the current situation, the time has come..."

"It's mature, not come! What are you doing? Little girl?!"

However, to Enia and Enshia's utter shock, while they were secretly pleased that their brother was playing a majestic emperor, they found that the image he was portraying had nothing to do with "majestic" or "emperor," but rather a terrible old man. What happened next further fueled their disbelief.

Vina, playing the role of the secretary, made a few small mistakes on her first day of work. However, most of these minor errors were due to her initial interaction with Silver Ash's character.

But these small mistakes caused Silver Ash to fly into a rage. His face, made to look somewhat obese and aged by Rob Rata's god-tier makeup skills, showed no trace of the kindness and tolerance expected of an elder; it was filled with nothing but spite.

"Single-spaced! You're using single-spacing!" Silver Ash shouted, waving the paper he had torn from the typewriter, completely disregarding the fact that he was about to make a young girl cry.

"Didn't anyone tell you? Little girl? Single-spacing?!"

"Th-the spacing here is set to single-spacing, I..."

"Then why aren't you changing it quickly?!" Silver Ash gave Vina's character no chance to explain. His furious demeanor was that of an unreasonable, petty, and irritable noble lord.

One could even say that anyone meeting him for the first time would think this old man was crazy. Not only was he unkempt and lacked any noble bearing, but there was no way he looked like an emperor.

"...Is this person really our brother?"

Enshia watched Silver Ash on the screen, having already scolded Vina away, her mouth slightly agape. She simply couldn't believe that this was truly her brother acting.

Because there wasn't a trace of their brother in him! Enia and Enshia, despite their different experiences and perceptions of their brother Silver Ash, were very clear on what kind of person he was.

In their private lives, whether in school or as the president of Karlan Trade, Silver Ash was a perfect and meticulous person.

Even in his pajamas at home, he carried himself with the air of someone in a suit. His posture was always straight, he had no bad habits, he didn't drink or smoke, and he never showed any interest in women, dedicating all his time and energy to his career.

This had caused him to neglect his family somewhat, perhaps due to the shadow of their parents' early passing. But his sisters knew very well that, aside from this, their brother would never act disgracefully or throw tantrums.

But what were they seeing now? An old man they wouldn't have recognized as their brother if FrostNova hadn't pointed him out? A man with a short temper, smoking cigars and drinking whiskey as soon as he woke up – did any of this have anything to do with their brother?

"Probably?" Enia was also a bit perplexed. However, looking at Silver Ash on the set, she couldn't help but feel... she seemed to be seeing a future version of her brother.

Yes, it was a strange feeling, but Enia felt that if her brother were ever crushed by pressure, he could still bear the responsibilities of patriarch and president. But in the future, if he were to lead Siracusa in his own way, what would he become?

Perhaps... it would be like this? Enia imagined that scenario. If her brother were to break under the pressure and have to find ways to relieve it through other means, then him smoking cigars, drinking whiskey, and having a bad temper wouldn't be entirely incomprehensible.

After all, everyone in Siracusa—the other two families and Manjuin—could see her brother's urgency for reform in Siracusa.

Even everyone could see that her brother's desire to control Siracusa was growing stronger. He didn't seem to intend to hide his ambition, yet he always found ways to gain the support of the closed-off and conservative people of Siracusa through benefits or promises of future fulfillment.

And if that were the future... perhaps her seemingly perfect brother, with the increasing pressure, would become like this in his later years?

"...He'll turn into this sooner or later, once the immense pressure crushes him, he might become this kind of old man."

"No! I don't want my brother to become like this!"

However, Enia's muttering startled Enshia. Before Enshia could even imagine this future, someone suddenly walked into the frame. As the camera focused on them, the two sisters saw a woman with white hair, who, despite her age, possessed considerable elegance, slowly approaching Silver Ash.

"Darling?" The white-haired woman's opening words made Enia and Enshia pause slightly, but they quickly recovered.

"Is this the actress playing brother's wife in the movie?" Enshia guessed. Enia nodded in agreement.

"It seems so... Although she's made up to look old, she's a very elegant woman."

However, overhearing the sisters behind them, Chen Qi, Nian, and Talulah, who were supervising the shoot, trembled slightly, suppressing their laughter, but still focused on their work and didn't answer the girls' questions.

But they really wanted to say—that elegant white-haired woman they were talking about was actually Warfarin!

And during the shoot, Warfarin entered the room. Just as Kal'tsit had said, Warfarin was quite reliable when she was serious, and right now, entering her acting mode, she was truly impeccable.

"Darling, can I talk to you? I think you really need to listen."

Meanwhile, Silver Ash was kneeling on the ground, his head repeatedly poking under the bed, trying to coax out a Feline Fangbeast that had crawled underneath.

But after Warfarin entered, Silver Ash, who had been furious with the new secretary just a minute ago, immediately became docile. Without a word, he stumbled to sit on the bed.

Once Silver Ash was seated, Warfarin maintained her elegant demeanor, showing no cracks in her composure. She very seriously, or rather, spoke to Silver Ash with a gentle tone, reasoning with him:

"I've noticed your temper has worsened lately. You used to be very friendly, but now you've become irritable."

"Petty, overbearing, and rude."

"...Is it because of that little girl?" Silver Ash immediately guessed what had prompted his "wife" to come and lecture him. This time, however, facing his wife, his tone undoubtedly softened considerably.

However, Warfarin, with her high emotional intelligence, did not take the bait, as doing so would make the young girl resentful. She continued, "If His Majesty the Emperor truly abdicates and passes the throne to you as the new Emperor."

"We can't say for sure yet."

"—I don't want anyone to hate you." Warfarin interrupted Silver Ash gently when he spoke. Hearing this, Silver Ash immediately lost his temper and said meekly, "I think quite a few people already hate me..."

"Oh, my dear, you're about to gain immense power, to be above everyone else, with no one in a higher position than you. With such power in your hands, you should strive to show a more amiable side."

"—It's best if you can remain composed. I hope others will respect you as I do."

Warfarin spoke to Silver Ash as if she were a teacher instructing kindergarten children to be kind to others. Ennya and Enshia had never seen anyone speak to their elder brother like this before.

Moreover, their elder brother... was acting so meek, like a Feline Fangbeast, not even showing any intention to retort.

This scene gave the sisters a strange idea... They exchanged glances, understanding each other's thoughts.

Enshia: "Big sis, big sis, I remember that falling in love through acting isn't uncommon, right?"

Ennya: "That's true... When this scene is over, should we ask for the contact information of the actor who played that role?"

Soon, from the brief interaction between Silver Ash and Warfarin, the sisters got the idea of finding a wife for their elder brother. After all, even though it was acting, falling in love through acting was indeed common. Even Ennya and Enshia, confined in Siracusa, had heard about it due to their gossipy nature.

It should be said, it was fortunate that Chen Qi couldn't hear the sisters' telepathic communication. Otherwise, he might have burst out laughing at this moment—these two naive girls, if you chose such a sister-in-law for your brother, setting aside your brother's reaction, you two would have enough to deal with in the future.

"Cut! That's a wrap for this scene! Mr. Silver Ash, Miss Warfarin, you both performed wonderfully!"

"Oh, right, Mr. Silver Ash, your sisters are waiting for you in the screening room. Please come over when you have a moment."

Chen Qi immediately used the intercom to inform Silver Ash of Ennya and Enshia's arrival. The moment Chen Qi finished speaking, with an almost incredibly fast series of footsteps, Silver Ash pushed open the screening room door.

"Ennya, Enshia, you—"

Upon seeing his two sisters there, Silver Ash instinctively wanted to rush forward and hug them. However, as Silver Ash took a step forward, he noticed his two sisters' expressions change in unison, and they immediately took a step back.

"Wait—Brother, can you at least wash off your makeup before coming over!" Enshia said with a distressed look at the wide-eyed Silver Ash in front of her, adding awkwardly, "I really don't want to hug such an old brother! I feel like you smell like old age..."

"...I agree with Enshia." Ennya also showed no gratitude. Even though they were no longer under surveillance, Ennya still harbored resentment towards her brother and would never call him "brother."

However, she didn't insist on Silver Ash calling her "Saintess" at this moment.

Seeing his sisters' attitudes, Silver Ash's expression became a little awkward. He straightened his perfectly upright back, regaining his imposing 1.9-meter height. Facing his disgusted sisters, he could only force a calm demeanor and say, "...I understand."

"Huh?! Mr. Silver Ash! Your sisters are here too? Where are they, where?"

Suddenly, a cheerful voice rang out. The screening room door opened again, and Warfarin, who had already removed her makeup and still had water stains on her face, walked in without any regard for her appearance.

Soon, Warfarin's gaze landed on Ennya and Enshia, who were still in a daze. Her eyes lit up, and she walked towards them with a smile, saying, "You are President Silver Ash's sisters? I heard from Kal'tsit before that one of you has been receiving treatment at Rhodes Island, right?"

"When you come to Rhodes Island, remember to look for me for a check-up! I only need a small amount of blood to determine your infection concentration!"

"You are..."

"Oh! My name is Warfarin! I'm a doctor at Rhodes Island, and I'm temporarily here acting! You should have seen me on camera just now, shouldn't you?"

However, Warfarin's extremely familiar approach caught Ennya and Enshia completely off guard. At this moment, the two sisters also noticed Warfarin's un-changed clothes, which were clearly the same as the "madam" they had seen earlier.

And... the same white hair, the same height. It seemed she had removed her colored contact lenses, revealing her blood-red eyes, like those of a Blood Demon.

Of course, her tone, which lost all elegance the moment she spoke, instantly shattered the idea the two girls had just formed.

It was a pity that Warfarin, who was now boasting about her blood-tasting abilities, had no idea that she had just lost the possibility of becoming the wife of the President of Karlan Trade. One could only wonder what her reaction would be if she knew.

Chapter Eighty-Four: First Snow: I Don't Want a Brother Who Smokes and Drinks

As for this "visit" from his sisters, it was an encouragement for Silver Ash. After arranging Enshia's treatment process at Rhodes Island, Silver Ash began to purchase a large number of televisions from Kazimierz. He planned to send them to Siracusa along with the ones Ennya purchased under the name of Manjuin.

"Are you perhaps trying to appease Manjuin, Mr. Enshiodis (Silver Ash's name)?" After Silver Ash paid for the televisions that Manjuin was supposed to purchase, Ennya said to him in a very calm tone, "If that's the case, you might be disappointed. Manjuin will not accept your bribe, nor will she be grateful for it. As a Saintess, I cannot accept this unprovoked kindness."

"...You misunderstand, Saintess."

However, Silver Ash was clearly accustomed to Ennya's stiff attitude towards him. He calmly replied to his sister's deliberately harsh words, "It is my honor to pay for the gifts that will be distributed to the believers in Siracusa on behalf of Manjuin and the Saintess. It is merely a small token of respect from my family and enterprise—respect for Yelagund."

"We are also doing our best to set up a local network. It might take less than half a month before we can start debugging. Allowing the residents of Siracusa to see the outside world through television, wouldn't that also be a good thing for Siracusa?"

"...Since Mr. Enshiodis is so kind, I shall accept it."

"Also... please don't come too close to me. You smell of cigars, and I dislike it very much."

"...Yes, Saintess."

Ennya felt an indescribable sadness, or perhaps something else, at Silver Ash's deference. She was clearly accustomed to this distance. From the day she became Saintess, her relationship with her brother had ended there.

Not far away, Chen Qi and Talulah stood together, watching the awkward interaction between the siblings. Talulah couldn't help but ask, "What's going on with these siblings? Why is their interaction so awkward? It reminds me of FrostNova and Bodega... but they are siblings, aren't they?"

"Well, that's probably the 'every family has its own troubles' kind of situation." Chen Qi, who knew why the relationship between Silver Ash and Ennya was so awkward, couldn't help but sigh as he watched the scene, "After all, Silver Ash is a patriarch and a president first, and only then is he a brother."

"Perhaps it was the loss of both his parents when he was young, and the inability of his own family to even establish a foothold in Siracusa, that made him so acutely aware that to protect his family, someone had to bear the burden of responsibility that no one else understood."

"Moreover, his goals are even grander. He is actually doing something very great for Siracusa – what he wants to do now is to protect Siracusa. Only by being able to protect Siracusa can he truly have the strength to protect his own family."

Chen Qi actually understood Silver Ash's current stress. Especially after arriving at the film crew, Silver Ash's usual workload was incredibly heavy. Besides acting, he also had to, as the president of Karlan Trade, negotiate cooperation with several Kazimierz enterprises, plan the promotion of the TV series for Siracusa, and even secretly discuss the procurement of supporting equipment for their competitive knights with people from the Commercial Federation...

This stress from Silver Ash was actually his immediate realization, upon arriving in Kazimierz and becoming well-informed, that the situation on Terra was changing.

Whether it was the division of Victoria, or the current offensives by Kazimierz, Ursus, and Leithania against Victoria, all these indicated that the balance of power on Terra would change in the future.

And although Siracusa was remote, it wasn't too far from Victoria! Furthermore, while Siracusa's environment was harsh, Silver Ash knew very well that beneath the mountains of Siracusa lay vast mineral resources that could be exploited!

Yelagund could shelter the followers of Siracusa. Although the environment was harsh, natural disasters were rare. However, did Yelagund still possess divine power? Could it still protect Siracusa unharmed when it might face the armies of enemy nations in the future?

Silver Ash believed in Yelagund; he was a Siracusan, after all. But he was more willing to trust his own judgment and believe that his own strength could change Siracusa's weakness.

He was also more willing to believe that only by holding real power in his hands could they truly deter other enemies from coveting their Siracusa.

That was why Silver Ash was anxious. He wanted to ensure Siracusa's continued existence in this surging tide, in this era of great impending change. However, his foresight did not extend to most people in Siracusa.

Just like now, Ennya understood everything her brother was doing, but there was still a barrier in her heart. She knew her brother's actions were right and were the only solution at the time... but she just couldn't let go of it.

"Never mind, why should we discuss someone else's family matters? As long as we don't cause them trouble."

Chen Qi patted Talulah's shoulder upon hearing this. Then, after a moment of silence, he spoke with some helplessness:

"Schedule Silver Ash's next few scenes. Arrange those that allow him to really perform. I think he'd also want to show his cool side to his sisters."

"I understand." Talulah smiled faintly upon hearing this. She had long been very familiar with Chen Qi's personality of always helping when he could.

And it was precisely this goodness, so rarely cultivated on this land, that she liked about Chen Qi. As long as you stood by him, you never had to worry about him acting against you; he simply wouldn't have such malicious thoughts—he was so trustworthy that even if you sat beside him with a large bag of money, he wouldn't try to reach for it.

On the other side, Ennya's conversation with Silver Ash had ended. Ennya soon noticed Chen Qi standing nearby. For some reason, after Talulah left, she walked directly towards Chen Qi.

"Miss Ennya." Facing Ennya, who had suddenly come to find him, Chen Qi respectfully bowed to the Saintess. He could sense a hint of resentment in Ennya's eyes, but he didn't know why.